Boat-lowering apparatus



y 1950 v w. 1.. HOWARD 2,506,085

- BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May' 2, 1950 w. L. HOWARD BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-sheet 2- Filed July 2, 1945 y 1950 w. HOWARD 2,506,085

BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I May Z, 195() I w, HOWARD 2,506,085

BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 2, 1950 BOAT -LOWERING APPARATUS William Lewis Howard, London, England, as-

signor to Welin-Maclachlan Davits Limited,

London, England Application July 2, 1945, Serial No. 602,712

In Great Britain March 15, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March15, 1964 2 Claims.

This invention relates to boat lowering apparatus.

At the present time lifeboats are usually lowered from a winch controlled by a main lowering brake which is actuated by an operator, the winch being situated on the ships deck. With such an arrangement, if the ship is on fire, the deck may become so hot that the operator is unable to remain on the deck to control the winch brake; furthermore the operator frequently cannot see the boat which he is lowering but has to depend upon orders given to him from a remote point; as a result it is more diflicult for the operator to lower the boat at the correct moment onto a wave than it would be if he could see the boat all the time he is lowering it.

According to the present invention a lifeboat or other boat to be lowered from a winch on a ships deck is provided with a control device whereby the lowering of the boat can be controlled fromthe boat itself, thus dispensing with the need for an operator at the winch.

In one form of construction the control device consists of a self-contained unit which can be fitted to the boat blocks, or fixed in any suitable position in the boat and comprises a bracket carrying a drum freely mounted thereon. The drum is provided with a handwheel at one end, outside the bracket, and a brake drum which can be controlled by a brake lever on the other end. A small diameter rope preferably of flexible steel wire is wound in layers on the drum, the length of rope being determined by the height of the boat deck above the low water line. The rope is taken optionally over a sheave on the top block (in the case of ordinary boat tackle), or over a sheave attached to the davit itself and thence down to the winch brake lever as directly as possible by any suitable means.

In order to prevent the rope from whipping or becoming in any way too slack when the boat is bein normally controlled by the winch brake, provision is made for maintaining a slight permanent friction on the brake drum of the control device, preferably by means of a totally enclosed spring loaded lever, the spring being easily adjustable by hand, or the friction may be obtained by means of a counter-weight on the brake lever. When hoisting the boat the rope can be easily rewound on the drum by turning the handwheel to take up the slack as the boat is hoisted. If preferred the brake unit can be fitted in the boat itself, in which case the rope is not permamently anchored to the drum but is so ar- In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention: I

Figure 1 is an elevation;

Figure 2 is an elevation at right angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of a modification;

Figure 4 shows diagrammatically in elevation the application of the invention shown in Figure 3: and Figure 5 is a detail elevation at right angles to Figure 4 on a larger scale.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, I, 2 are top and bottom blocks respectively for lowering a boat. Secured to the block 2 is a U-shaped bracket 3. Rotatably mounted in bearings on thearms of the bracket 3 is a spindle 4 having fast thereon a drum device 5 and a brake drum 6 between the arms of the bracket 3, and a hand wheel I outside the bracket 3. 8 is a spindle which is rotatably mounted in bearings VP other end of the brake band being secured to the the drum when the boat is rowed away.

brake lever 9 at II. I2 is a counterweight for maintainin a slight friction on the brake drum 6. I3 is a flexible steel wire rope or cable of small diameter which is wound in layers on the drum 5 and is taken over a sheave I4 to the lever of the main lowering brake of a winch on the ships deck as directly as possible by any suitable means e. g. as described in Figures 4 and 5. The counterweight I2 only maintains sufficient tension to prevent the rope I3 from whipping or becoming too slack but is not sufficient to release the brake on the ships winch when it is desired to lower the boat, 1. e. the brake is normally inefiectively applied.

In the modification shown in Figure 3 the counterweight I2 is replaced by a light spring I5 which acts on a rod I6 pivotally connected at I1 to an extension of the brake lever 9.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, the control device shown in Figure 3 is mounted on a block l8 which supports a boat I9 and is carried by a hook 20 on or near to the end of a davit 2| of known construction, the rope I3 passing over a sheave 22 on the end of the davit 2!, over a sheave 23 on the davit 2| and thence over a sheave 24, and round a sheave 25 to the underside of a lever 26 which actuates the main lowering brake 21 of a Winch 28 which is located as usual on the ships deck and controls the lowering of the boat I9 so that when tension is applied to the rope I3 the brake lever 23 is pulled 3 downwards and the main lowering brake 21 is released. Obviously if the winch 2B is provided with a main lowering brake which is released by raising the lever 25 the ropesllwou ld be led directly to the'bii'ake lever 26 instead iofvrou'nd a sheave 23.

It will be seen that when the handwheel Lis turned positively in a direction to wind the rope I3 on the drum 5 the rope l3 wi1lp1i1lthe winch brake lever 26 and open the brake}?! onfthewinch 28. Simultaneously with"goperating"ithe halidwheel 1 to open the winch'brakefl,"the'operator must positively hold the brake lever 9 on the control device and apply sufiicieritlfriction'ionthe brake drum 6 to maintain the required tension in the rope I3 necessary to keep ("the winchbrake 21 open. Thus the rope i3 is" conditioned, ifor releasing the winch brake by the operators'positively actuating the hand wheel I to tension therope. If the operator, either on purpose or accie lv; o s nqtap l i ufii ien i ict fl brake drum 6 by means of the brakeelgveriil, the boat [9 will come to a standstill, :and the hand wheel 1' f nest be vturned again in a :direction to wind the rope [3 on the drum to open or release again 'the --bral e '2'l son zthe winch 28 -.to allowthe low ms o th hoat-t i ece eeop rators will irea il a apt himself to t feel of the operation and after a little experi- :ship; lowering connections 'between :said winch 4 and said boat; a normally applied winch brake; a cable connected to said brake and adapted when tensioned to release the brake; and a control device onp.said {boat comprising. iaadrum to which 'said cablei is connecteiljga normallyfinefieetively applied brake for said drum, and means accessi- .ble to the operator in the boat for controllably applying said drum brake effectively during :e1iing:df"said Fboat to enable said drum to pay out said, cable under tension sufiicient to efiect controlled releasin p'f sa id Winch brake.

ppaiitatnsqiot'iefiecting lowering of a ships life'boa't or otherboat under the control of an operator :in :the heat, comprising a winch on the rhipjilowering connections between said winch vcandsaid boat; anormally applied winch brake; a ."icalileconnectewto said brake and adapted when 'tensioned to release the brake; and a control devioei'onl'said boat comprising a drum to which said cable is connected,:a hand wheel connected to said, dr um .and,-being positively actuatable '-by the operator for applying initial tension to said cable tothereby release said winch brake gand enable the -boat to be lcm ered,v a normally. ineffgeetivelyapplied brakefor .said @drum;:and lineans accessible to :the operator :in the boat for; controllably applying ,said -drum brake effectively il'ur- .ing llowe zing oI ,-the.-boatlto enable said drumto payout said riable c nder tension =Suflicient {to maintain said vwinch bralre .controllably released.

WILLIAM .HO WA R'D.

r B EREEQ l- T l fitheiollowing references aieoi record in the time of this zpatent:

UNmEnsTA'r'ns PATENTS 7 

